


The Pieces He Left Behind

by Doodsxd



Series: D&D Works [6]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dungeons & Dragons, Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, Dungeons & Dragons Campaign, Dungeons & Dragons References, F/M, Heavy Angst, Inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, No Dungeons & Dragons Knowledge Required, One-Sided Attraction, Pining, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 22:54:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28553448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doodsxd/pseuds/Doodsxd
Summary: Hel finally noticed the origins of most of her anger towards Lotraic: she wanted him. She wanted him like she had craved freedom for a hundred and seventeen years. She wanted him even before the moment that stupid-ass barbarian had thrown a fucking rock into a fucking unknown, underground lake and almost got them all killed. She wanted to jump in after him, senseless as it was, that day.And from that day onwards she had been living with that knowledge - she wanted him, he wanted Ootami, Ootami wanted him. There was no space for her there.
Relationships: Lotraic Jones/Ootami, Onesided Hel Vhondryl/Lotraic Jones
Series: D&D Works [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2069412





	The Pieces He Left Behind

**The Pieces He Left Behind**

Angorn was too hot, and too bright, and too… _Angorn_. Being that a city which currently had as a governor the head of the family which had kidnapped her and made her their exotic slave for over a hundred years did not make the place seem any better. 

She had been walking among the many stores and fair tents when she saw it. Heart clenching inside her ribcage, Hel Vhondryl stopped herself from showing anything to the often too perceptive Talon, who walked by her side, despite the urge to fiddle with that weird ring that changed her appearance to that of a normal elf. 

As a drow, a race which did not exist in this continent, a race with which this continent had been at war with not so long ago, a race so demonized by their children’s tales that she might as well be the boogey-man - she had no doubt they would find her, capture her and send her back to the Dovanos. 

She avoided looking, busying herself with checking up a bag she had no intention of buying. 

Hel didn’t think she could feel like that anymore. She had been taken away from her home as a child, pend her days as a slave in a place that even if she escaped, no one would help her; she had been beaten and overworked and everything in between and yet this - _that_ man, talking to _that_ woman, was the thing that made her feel like her chest was being torn apart. 

_I don’t accept the trade;_ he had said in an impossible situation which they fortunately survived. She had offered to trade herself with her friend’s boyfriend, who had been made captive and held hostage. There was no way out other than her giving herself up - everyone was in danger, and they were in danger because of her. 

Still, he said _I don’t accept the trade_. 

A simple, stupid phrase and her entire world did a 180º. 

Before that, she had dear friends - she loved Drodal, was learning to get to love Tajiiri, Syllin and Talon, and Grubi had a piece of her heart ever since he followed them out of that blasted cave, the darling thing - but she and Lotraic had never had the best of relationships. They butted heads and disagreed about almost everything and, honestly, they had barely even met at that point, knowing each other for barely a few weeks. He was a little brute and a little messy, prone to unknowingly breaking things. 

_I don’t accept the trade._ And it wasn’t like he wouldn’t say the same for anyone else of their party, but it hit home that he wouldn’t let her give herself away, even if that meant more money and less risk for him and the others. 

She almost forgot that he was with another woman, then. Ootami was a nice woman. She was so like him, if more thoughtful. They had found each other at a tavern and hit it off immediately and… Hel finally noticed the origins of most of her anger towards him: she wanted him. She wanted him like she had craved freedom for a hundred and seventeen years. She wanted him even before the moment that stupid-ass barbarian had thrown a fucking rock into a fucking unknown, underground lake and almost got them all killed. She wanted to jump in after him, senseless as the idea was, that day. She'd probably jump back into hell if it was to go after him. Almost did it to keep him safe. 

And from that day onwards she had been living with that knowledge - she wanted him, he wanted Ootami, Ootami wanted him. There was no space for her there. 

She had probably been a horrible person in her previous life to be _this_ punished in this one. One hundred and twenty five years old and eight out of ten things that happened to her were bad. 

“Are you done?” Talon asked her, voice slightly muffled by his mask. 

His voice startled her and she nodded, noticing that she had been all that time just fiddling with the leather backpack, doing nothing. 

“Oh, there’s Lotraic and Ootami.” He said and she just barely avoided wincing. “Let’s see if they’re done shopping so we can leave town already. After what happened, I wouldn’t like to spend any more time here.” 

They walked to the couple, who had been talking near a street corner. They noticed them almost immediately. 

“Hey, you guys done?” Lotraic asked them, a goofy smile to his face. 

“Yes, have you gotten the carriage?” 

“I got two wagons.” He pointed somewhere behind him where they awaited. 

“Nice.” Talon answered. “Are you coming too?” He asked Ootami in a friendly manner. “We could use someone like you around.” 

She and Lotraic exchanged a look. 

_By Helix… no. Don’t tell me-_

“I… kinda decided to stay.” 

If her heart had been torn before, it was in shreds then. No thread nor needle would be able to revive it. Only experience kept her together, instead of crumbling into the sobbing mess she would eventually turn into once she was alone. 

_He was a little brute and a little messy, prone to unknowingly breaking things._

“You… really?” Even Talon seemed surprised. 

“Yeah.” The boyish grin Lotraic sported was enhanced by the way he messed with his hair. “I mean, they got nothing on me. Money’s good, ale is good, company is good.” He bumped his arm with Ootami, who chuckled. 

“Well… good for you.” Talon’s tone spoke about a smile underneath his mask. “I’m glad. Just come by the tavern to say goodbye to the girls and Grubi, alright?” 

“Was planning on it.” He assured them, looking from Talon to Hel. “Are you alright?” 

Her eyes snapped to his face, drinking him up. “Yes. Just worried about this Dovano thing.” 

“Don’t worry.” Ootami smiled at her, blissfully clueless. “Between me, him and the others we’ll gather into our resistance, I’m sure he’ll be gone in no time.” 

Hel smiled. It was genuine, despite it all. “I know. Thank you.” She looked at him. “For everything.” 

“Don’t worry about it. You would have done the same for me.” He winked playfully. “Now… I believe I’m supposed to come see your house with you.” He told Ootami, who grabbed his hand. 

“Yes, well, we might have to move.”

“I’m sure it’s fine. I can squeeze.” He joked, curving his back to make himself smaller before laughing at her face. His smile was blinding as he turned to Talon and Hel again. “See you at two?”

“Two it is.” Talon answered. “I’ll order you a chicken.” 

“Make it two!” 

He left, hand in hand with Ootami, smiling and laughing at something she had said. He looked more alive and lighter than Hel had ever seen him before. 

He was happy. And that was good. 

“Shall we go?” Talon asked Hel, a hand on her shoulder. “We still have to pack the things into the wagons and we’ll need you for that.” 

“Sure.” She nodded, head still elsewhere. 

His masked impassive face analysed her a little more. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

She nodded, offering him a smile she assumed would be her standard one for a while still - incapable of reaching her eyes. “Yes. I’m sure. Let’s go.” 

And that smile of his - bright and happy, sunshine and deep blue seas - would be etched into her retina for eternity, she knew. Like looking directly at the sun and going blind at how much luminosity came from it. 

He was happy, but had taken half of her heart with him, another void to her soul that would take a while to heal, another scar to scab and stain her already marred lifespan. 

Luckily, she was a survivor. She would have to make do with the pieces he left behind. 


End file.
